The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-04-09

fresh cranberries in. She was in a
hurry, for Miss Anastasia Akerly
was to be buried that afternoon. She
had died as she had lived, sitting
alone before the fire, and this was the
day they had appointed for her fu-
neral.
Friend Decker had expressed de.
sire to attend the obsequies of the
kinswoman, who had been so little
to him, and Leah was hurrying
through her work so that she might
brush the well-worn suit and take u
much-needed stitch in the coarse
w0rsted gloves.
AS she tore off the newspaper wrap.
pings she stopped suddenly.
"Father," she cried. "here is a
piece of thick. yellowish paper rolled
up and put inside this jar that came
from Friend Anastasia's. What does
thee suppose IL is? Father. it is
will ~
She ran eagerly with it to Friend
Decker. He looked obviously at the
outside.
"Thee is right, Leah" said he.
Friend Anastasia's heart has sof-
tened towards us. This is doubtless
the will she mentioned-the will in
favor of Moses Sawyer. She has sent
it to us to destroy. Nay, daughter,
nay," as Leah eagerly caught it up
and fastened toward the fire. "Give
it to me. 1t Is not for us to make or
meddle. If Friend Anastasia wished
the will destroyed she should have
done 1t herself. / shall take it back
to Friend johnson, the executor"
"Father," cried Leah, "thee would
not give him the will ?"
"Does thee think it would be an
honorable thing to destroy it, Leah %
"If she wanted us to do so, father"
"But we have no right to presume
anything of the sort, daughter" rea-
soned Friend Decker. buttoning it up
under his coat. NAY. nay, do not
fret" For Leah, overcome by the
sudden blaze of hope, and the after
blackness of despair, had burst into
food of tears. "It will be we'll with
us, never fear"
Judge johnson. the great man of
the neighborhood. received the paper
with some surprise.
"December 6th," he read. "Hum
this is the latest document she has
executed. Oh, yes! 1 remember it
very well !; 1 drew it up myself. But
why did you bring it here, Friend
Decker ?"
The old man briefly related the cir
cumstances.
"Old people are apt to be CAPRI
cious," said he. "Doubtless the trif-
ling matter of the plum sauce pleased
her and she sought to reward us.
But / should never take advantage
of Friend Moses by burning the
will"
"But why in the name of common
sense should you burn it ?" said the
judge. Are you in the habit of
having estates left to you every day,
that you dispose of them so readily?'
II don't think I quite understand
thee. Friend Johnson" said Decker.
But Leah's face frightened like q
rose.
II see l see (" she cried. "Fathers
Friend Anastasia has done right, late
though it be. She has wiled the
LennOx farm to thee"
And Leah spoke truly. The dead
woman made tardy reparation in her
last days, and Friend Decker and his
daughter had at last legal possession
of what should long ago have been
their own. No amount of reasoning
or remonstrance had availed, but one
of those sudden touches, which,
"striking the electric chain where
with we're darkly bound," swaying
soul with disprOportionate force,
had induced her to perform an act of
justice at last. and the jar of wild
plums, with its train of associations
bad been the most eloquent pleading
of all.-Selected.